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Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer Review

Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer Review

A few Months ago, I applied to be a product tester forBrod & Taylor who designed a new folding proofer. It was a concept which appealed to me, due to our lack of counter space and my need to find a proper place to ferment and proof my breads. So I filled out the application and forgot about it. A few weeks ago I heard from the company who wanted to know if I was willing to try the folding proofer and let them know how I liked it. I was thrilled to be able to have one and run it through its paces. The company, is from Massachusetts. As far as I know, there are no other similar products on the market. They say you can warm, rise bread, make yogurt and melt chocolate. I think they missed the fact that while bulk fermenting could be considered rising, most people consider the two events (fermenting and proofing) separate events. Both require temperature control and can be reliably and easily accomplished in this product.

Counter space is hard to find in our house. When I told my wife I was getting a proofer to try out she gave me the rolled eyes “where’s that going to go?” look. Maintaining a stable warm temperature in our latitude is a challenge so she has endured foam coolers and all sorts of contraptions in the past. I’m sure I deserved the look, lol. I explained this is a folding box that compresses to a flat (sort of) profile and is easily storable.

The arrival of the folding proofer brought complements from my wife. She liked the design and the folding and unfolding concept. The controls are simple. Turn the power on and set the temperature you desire. The range is between 70 and 120F. I did some testing the first day and found that it did indeed maintain a very close tolerance on my selected temperature of 78F. The digital temperature selector and heat on light flickered every few seconds maintaining the set temp within a half degree over 6 hours. I used 3 instant read dial thermometers I calibrated and an IR digital laser meter. Everybody read the same temp all around the inside of the box. There is a small tray that sits on the bottom of the heating element to boost the humidity inside the closed box. You are supposed to pour a small amount of warm water in the tray during the 5-10 minutes of warm up.

Last night I mixed up a poolish preferment and placed it in the folding proofer. The temp was set at 78F. This morning it was all happy and bubbling and exactly 78F. I mixed the dough and undershot my DDT of 78 and had a dough temp of 73F. I put the fermenting dough in the box, set the temperature to 78F and gave it a S&F every 30 minutes for 2 hours. After the shaping, I placed the dough in my large banetton that will hold a 3 Lb loaf. It easily fit inside the proofer. I didn’t think it would be necessary to cover the dough since the humidity would be boosted by the water in the tray. After an hour and a half, the dough was ready for baking and there was no dryness on the top of the exposed dough. It also wasn’t damp like it sometimes is when I have used the oven or microwave to proof in. This is good as I know that can have the effect of gluing the dough to the linen lining. The dough popped right out of the basket which was a good sign. I loaded the bread into the hot oven, folded up the proofer in seconds and put it away in the pantry, out of sight. Smiles all around.

I haven’t made much yogurt but I know how important it is to hold the right temperature for several hours. This device will certainly make easy work out of holding 115F for 5-6 hours. No need to buy another kitchen device when this one will do double duty. I think I’ll surprise the wife with some fresh homemade yogurt. She will flip cause she knows I know nothing of yogurt.

I was thinking about the warming capability. I think the next time we have a family dinner, I’ll put the previously baked dinner rolls in the “warmer” and turn it up to 120F for a while before dinner. Nothing like warm rolls with a meal but sometimes the planning can get in the way.

TWO WEEKS LATER:

After using the Folding Proofer for a few weeks, I am liking it more than I thought I would.

I like how it works. It’s a simple device that is very cleverly engineered. Yes, you could say it’s just a warm box of air, but the more I use it, the more I appreciate it for what it does, all by itself. Last night while I was enjoying our “ World Champion Green Bay Packers” playing (thrashing) the Denver Broncos, I was baking chicken wings in the oven. At the same time my garlic bread stick dough was proofing in the proofer. The kitchen was busy with several projects all at once. It was nice to know I wouldn’t have to schedule my hurry up soft bread rolls to get them done. I get it that cooks and bakers need to be clever to get things done in the kitchen. Multi tasking is a necessity. But, I am really appreciating not having to juggle anything else to get consistent results in my bread products. People coming and going out the door, wind blowing through the house when it’s nice enough to have a window open but it’s really only 50F outside. I like not having to guard my dough from the elements. It’s a personal indulgence.

I like that my KA mixer bowl fits inside the proof box. It is tall enough I can place the mixed dough directly into the Folding Proofer for bulk fermenting at an established desired dough temperature. I REALLY like it that my large DLX mixer bowl fits under the lid. I have to remove the screen below and slide the water tray over but it so so nice to be able to ferment 9 pounds of dough, right in the mixer. Set it and forget it, as has been said. The heavy stainless steel bowl can cool off in the kitchen and once it does cool, there isn't an easy way to get it back warm. I ferment until it reaches the top then divide and shape. Easy.

I like that I can place a 9X13 baking pan in the proofing box and watch my cinnamon buns rise through the clear window in the top, without opening the lid. Being able to see the dough easily, without opening an oven door when I think of it is a big help for my attention deficit forgetfulness. The family enjoys keeping an eye on the progress too by glancing in the top window.

I like that the amount of moisture seems to be just right for not allowing the dough to skin over while fermenting or proofing. A small amount of water in the tray below the rack delivers the perfect environment. I find I don’t need to cover the dough even during long bulk ferments. This is something professional bakers take for granted, with a dedicated automatic proofing oven which costs thousands of dollars.

I like that I don't have to cover my dough with plasticrap so it won't skin over. No more carefully lifting the film off the top of an over proofed dough, hoping it won't tear and collapse. This is not a small thing to consider.

Wrapping up my analysis of this new kitchen tool, I think some of you will appreciate the versatility and functionality that the Folding Proofer brings to the home baker. Using it gives me a certain control of things that are otherwise sketchy. If I have learned anything about baking over the years, it is that everything matters. The exact amounts of water and at what temperature? The exact amount of yeast and controlling the Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) by whatever means possible will assure predictable results. Sourdough starters are especially sensitive to minor fluctuations in temperature. Using this proofer overnight on your preferment will deliver a predictably fully active levain or Poolish or Biga in the morning, regardless of how cool it is in the kitchen. Once you know you can maintain a proper fermenting temperature, your Pain au Levain will rise much more reliably. We all know about waiting for the dough to kick off and increase in volume because it was a little chilly. Anyone who has tried to make starter builds using the “Detmold 3 stage method” will immediately appreciate the ability to control the process.

Many of the issues that arise with new sourdough bakers are related to not understanding how sensitive natural yeasts and bacteria are to temperature and how to provide the proper climate for success. Depending on where you live and your personal home situation, this can be frustrating for SD new bakers. This tool will smooth the road to successful results.

Some will say “It’s a lot of money for a warm box of air”. Some will say “I can get the same effect with a cup of boiling water in the oven”. Both are valid opinions and I also have used the hot water in the oven. I have also had the oven turned on while I was proofing/fermenting bread in it. Hot water in the oven is an imperfect solution that works to some degree for some people. First, you have to have no other need for the oven, and, you will have to abandon the dough during pre heating that takes upward of an hour if you are using a stone, 20 or more minutes without a stone. During this time your proofing dough begins to cool and shrink. Second, depending on your electric oven, the pilot light will either make it too warm of an environment or not warm enough. Sure, you can cycle the heat on and off while guessing at how warm the interior is. If you have no distractions and nothing else to do, that is a work around. But, it’s a work around for home bakers who don’t have access to a dedicated proofing oven. Believe me; you don’t know what you’re missing.

The inventor of this product cleverly decided to make it folding so that you can remove it from sight when not in use. This is a much bigger deal than I had realized. It needs to be the large size it is to work with other kitchen tools (pans, bowls, bannetons). My wife really appreciates that it will be gone and out of sight when I’m done using it. She hasn’t mentioned that the foam cooler that lives in the garage I have used in the past looks bulky and trashy sitting on the counter but I know she’s thinking it.

The unit is high enough that I could envision a second shelf supporting another layer of proofing croissants or rolls. I think I’ll mention that to the designer.

The marketplace will ultimately determine what the price point will be. Like every new product, the early adopters will pay a little more to try out a new gadget. Eventually the price will drift down some as the mass market takes off. It’s not for me to say what it should sell for. I’m happy that there are entrepreneurs willing to take a chance on a product that helps me bake better breads at home. I like it, a lot!

Eric

Here are a few photos of my use. The new Brod & Taylor web site has much more glamorous images and a full product description.

Proof box collapsed on counter. Can be completely assembled in 20 seconds.

Large lined basket easily fits inside. This is 3.5 Lbs of Stout and Flax seed sourdough.

The fact that I can bulk ferment a large batch of dough in the proofer is a big deal to me.

It just fits with room to spare for circulation of the warm moist air above.

My baking pans fit nicely and you can see that another layer would work above as well.

Dinner rolls that were fast fermented and proofed at 80F because I could, and time was short.Being able to adjust the ferment/proofing temperature to accommodate my needs are a help.

In every production line there will be a choke point that limits production. To increase production volume requires adequately sized equipment at every stage. At this point, I can mix and proof up to say, 9 pounds of dough but I can only get 4 loaf pans in the oven at one time, small oven. So that's 6 pounds. I think most normal sized ovens will handle 5 or 6 at one time on a single shelf.

This device helps me at this level but I'd need two to get any larger along with a bigger oven.

I completely forgot the usefulness of holding tempered chocolate. That is a big, big deal for me...

And there is a deep satisfaction in a tool that is well designed anddoes a thing well. But if it doesn't hold at least a half sheet pan, it would limit proofing for me as many of my things these days take more than the 9X13 pan just because of the shaping (born to braid...). But I don't know if that is enough for me to lose interest.

Anyway (sigh)- one suspects I'll never really be content until I have a commercial oven/proofer/loader.

I consider myself very lucky..my kitchen temperature ranges between 68 and 78 degrees year round..sometimes a little warmer in for a couple of the summer months..but there's always a cooler room somewhere in the house..as much as I'd like one these..I can't justify it for now. The folding up, makes it tempting ;)

I looked at clazar123's post about this product the other day and thought it looked like a a better solution to home proofing than most of us use. Tis a bit more than I'd be willing to pay at the moment, but as you say the price is likely to drop. It's always been an issue for me being able to create the right environment for fermenting, proofing etc during our cold months here on Vancouver Island. Having read your review and knowing your attention to detail and precision I'm seriously considering getting one in the months ahead. I might even forward the link to Marie as a subtle Christmas suggestion LOL! There must be a few of us out there that get the look when the old Styrofoam cooler appears on the kitchen counter and this piece of equipment might just put a stop to it once and for all.

Hehe, you are a planner. I'm really enjoying using it and I'm trying to use it 3-4 times a week to see if it will hold up. It's so simple, I don't think there is much that can go wrong. I'm sure it would look great on "her" counter.

Thanks for the review, Eric. I think something like this would be good for bulk fermentation and final fermentation of bread dough. I can easily see this being useful for building a new sourdough starter...especially a rye sourdough. Do you know how much the proofer weighs? Is it written somewhere on the proofer that it has dual voltage...like 110 and 240?

Your attention to detail is much appreciated, Eric. The proofer sure looks interesting. Since the cold seaason is upon us and my woodstove will soon be fired up, indoor temps aren't a concern during winter months since my house is always warm. Summer is another story (most years, that is - won't count this past summer). Love the way it folds up. That, and if it remains accurate, is a big selling point. Hope that you'll keep us updated on its consistency over the next few months.

I'm really looking forward to the Lions game. I grew up in Jackson Michigan and most of my family stills lives in the State. It has been a painful wait watching the Lions get bad break after bad break. You know the NFL, anything can happen on any given day.

This proofer is almost to respectable looking for a guy who used to use an old beer cooler. I think my wife is about to claim it as hers, lol.

Thanks for the review. Seems like a great product. The yogurt (and buttermilk) culturing utility is a great bonus. I love making my own yogurt and buttermilk as much or more than bread baking. Not really, but it's so much simpler.

Luckily, I can get it all done with a heat pad(or room temp). The price of the proofer puts it in the "luxury" item range for me, unfortunately.

Those rolls look great. If you get a chance, can you share the recipe?

I have to confess, I made it up (the rolls). I started with 400 grams of AP and Lilly AP which is very soft. To that I added milk at 68% and 2 teaspoons of yeast and 2% salt. I used 1 tsp of clover honey. Brushed with butter. Strictly seat of the pants. Divide into 15 small balls and let it rise.

I think the proofer is one of those things that seems like a luxury until you use it a while. Then you don't know how you lived without it all those years. My IR thermometer is in that class too, lol.

Winter is coming and for a lot of us that means a cold kitchen. I too have used the oven and a pan of hot water. Then I was stuck not using the oven till I was done with the bread, or I had forgot and turned on the oven while it was in there and all my work went down the drain. I know its a lot of money, but I bet most who really want one can justify the cost. If you look out in the garage/closet or where ever I bet you can find a lot our spouses bought that we can use as examples of the same thing. If it means me being able to give my family bread more often this winter, I'm in.

Interestingly, I think the cooler and drier your location is, the more your breads will benefit from using this proofer. As the ambient temperature goes down, so does the ability of air to hold moisture. Also, as the heat source in the bottom of the unit warms to overcome the coolness in the kitchen, it provides more heat to the water tray which in turn evaporates more water into the proofing chamber. It seems like a perfect balance, all for your benefit:>)

BTW, I hear the Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer will be available soon from the manufacturer.

How long does it take to warm up? I'm asking because I bought one and I had it plugged in for over 1/2 an hour and it never got warm. It lights up and says it's heating. No flashing at all, I noticed you mentioned flashing of the heat light.

I got my new proofer and used it on Thankgiving to proof my dinner rolls, which came out great. Can't wait to use it again, just been too busy the last few days. I'm thrilled to have it for my Christmas baking.

Based on Eric's and Sylvia's recommendations, I bought the box. I used it for the first time last weekend for fermenting dough and proofing. I made a couple loaves each of San Joaquin Sourdough and Tartine Basic Country Bread. Here are some impressions:

My previous "proofing box" was my microwave oven with a mug of heated water. Compared to that, the Brod & Taylor box has similar capacity, but, of course, the temperature control is much more precise. There have been a few occasions when we wanted to use the microwave for thawing or heating food and for fermenting dough at the same time. It's nice to have the additional place to ferment dough on such occasions.

The box easily accommodated the containers in which I do bulk fermentation. The proofing box worked very well for the Tartine bread, which I proof in brotformen. I generally ferment my San Joaquin Sourdough on baker's linen. I haven't tried this yet in the proofing box. I should be able to make the geometry work.

All in all, I'm happy to have bought the proofing box. I expect I'll appreciate it even more next time I make a Detmolder 3-stage rye, where precise temperature control at each stage is more important.

The ability of the box to collapse into a compact form is a real advantage. It allows me to store it in the walk-in pantry, along with my peels, proofing boards and kneading boards. It is quick to set up and take down - a very big advantage.

Was in both Army and Air Force 1968-1970 so I thought I could obtain the no shipping order for my B & T proofer with validity.

I ordered it on Saturday and it came on the next Friday, today. It took me 30 seconds to put it together. I'm going to proof my first sourdough white bread in it tonight and bake it tomorrow night. It is sleek, and my wife, who is a stickler for "stuff" thought this would fit nicely in numerous places. It folds nicely.

After reading through, and going to the net to do some more reading, I decided that I've been a wonderful person (for the most part) this year. Having come to this conclusion, I also decided I deserve to give it to myself as a Christmas present.

Ordered today.... hope I can play with my new toy sometime next week...

I'm so glad you enjoyed the review. Thank you for letting me know you purchased it for yourself. I have a direct line to the big guy with the sleigh and reindeer (you know who I mean) and I think he was planning on gifting you one. How nice of you to save him the trouble of carrying it all that way.

I kept the sourdough starter inside for the final build, and then proofed the dough and the shaped loaf. What a nice piece of equipment, love the way it folds flat, and the bread rises beautifully inside.

My first bread with this box was a Cheese Sourdough from Hamelman - I used a mixture of Parmiggiano (grated) and Manchego (cubed)

two more loaves today, this time I placed the shaped loaves in two different environments: one in the proofing box, the other over the kitchen table, my regular spot to ferment loaves in the days "pre-proofing box"

both loaves turned out good, but the one in the proofing box had a lot more oven spring, the other is a little flat

Recipe is from Breadcetera site, his sourdough with double flour addition, made with a mixture of white and whole wheat flours.

I purchased the Brot & Taylor last year and I am very pleased with the results. I started experimenting with sourdough breads and it became quite obvious I needed more control over the temperatures. I was also ready to buy a larger yogurt maker and I justified the purchase with the added advantage of being able to make yogurt in larger batches. All of my Panettone made with the sourdough culture for the holidays was a great success thanks to this proof box. The yogurt is perfect as well. Great to see it is also a succesful tool for other bakers.

Today I was looking for places to possibly take some artisan baking lessons and when I was searching I found a site that has cooking classes (though seems for everything EXCEPT baking). On this site's front page I see products they sell and right on top is the Folding proofer. "What's that?" I wonder. Me, a person who seems to find a need for almost every gadget clicked on it and was like, "Wow!" So, off to Amazon I went to read reviews. There are a lot and they are mostly favorable - though a few who say it's overpriced when you can do the same thing in the oven or microwave (which is a partial truth). I was intrigued now. Did I 'need' to have this? "But wait, " I thought. "This is probably for people who make a single loaf of bread, right?" I never, ever make a single loaf of bread. I bake 2-4 loaves at a time. I proof my doughs in the DLX mixing bowl or the KA mixing bowl. I wondered, "Would this work for me?" Well, I knew where I needed to go to find out more.

And what do I find as my very first hit on my search on The Fresh Loaf? A review of this gadget by someone I trust (read several things by you before) and followed up by another person I trust (having read some of his reviews too - dmsnyder). Not only was it a great review, it was a review with the very same machines I use! Yay!!! Now... do I "need" this. Yes, I do as the temps in my kitchen are very fickle and I HATE using cloths and cling wrap on my doughs. I also make yogurt and have a yogurt maker, but I'm a bit annoyed I can only make 2 quarts at a time. With this thing, I can make a full gallon (two separate containers) and be good for a few days. With 5 people in the house, 3 generations, with half of us lactose intolerant and the rest preferring yogurt anyway, we go through a LOT of yogurt and I hate having to make it every other day to keep up with the demand. I'll sell my yogurt maker and get this proofer. I also decorate cakes - great for candy melts, I bet as well as chocolate. AND it folds small. I can't wait to get it, but I probably should wait for a refurbished one to pop up to save me some $.

Anyway, thank you so much for the review. This site never, ever lets me down - ever.

I still love it. These days I make more yogurt than bread but you are right 4 or 5 quarts work just fine and the temp control is wonderful. When I am making less than the maximum, I put the plastic containers on small saucers to temper the heat from the bottom a little.

I ordered mine about 3 months ago. I contemplated it and this review really cemented the deal - so thank you for caring enough to share the goods with the rest of us!

My only question is how did I ever manage without one of these!!?????

I live in the Arizona desert where 6 months out of the year, our air conditioning is cranking away. It's most always bone dry, except when storms brew during our wild Monsoon season. Then, the humidity and the pressure of the environment get very whacky and planning a bread bake can be difficult.

I found that even through the stormy season and in spite of sitting directly under the air conditioning vent in the ceiling, this fantastic little machine performed exceptionally well. I am so in love with this.. it is now a beloved part of my baking day. If it had lips, I'd kiss it!

It was a bit expensive and I hesitated, but this company is very good to work with and the machine itself seems pretty darn solid. I bought mine through Amazon and held my breath when I bought it - but it has been worth - every single penny.

Glad you are liking your new proofer. I couldn't agree more with you, it is solidly built where it counts and performs way above my expectations. The proofer eliminates the issue of ambient conditions in a small area on the counter. I have been totally pleased with the way my breads, yogurt and recently, chocolate have turned out. Tempering chocolate requires precise temperature control to get the results you desire.

In order of importance, I would have to say I think a proofing solution is higher in priority than a mixer. One can learn to combine and develop dough using your hands on any scale a home baker would use. But without an understanding of temperature control and the ability to provide that control, your results will vary wildly. The organisms are predictable if the environment is controlled.

After years of hand kneading and bread baking, I rather value my KitchenAid and Electrolux. I am guessing you'd have to pry them out of my hands these days, but between the mixers, the proofer and my scale.. I'd have a hard time placing them in order of importance!

I've had my proofer for nearly two full years now. I bake bread at least once a week, often times more. Its just a workhorse and has never failed me yet. I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to switch it off, only to notice it when I put it away.

My 17 yo daughter's had a heck of a year--it's been an emotional rollercoaster since October, starting with getting a cancer diagnosis the same week she learned she had been accepted as a Rotary exchange student. Whew!

Some wonderful things have happened as well to balance out the surgeries and the chemo. Included in that is being granted a Make-A-Wish shopping spree. She purchased some awesome items for herself. However, it's gratifying to know I raised a good kid--she bought gifts for everyone in the family. Part of her wish was making our wishes come true too.

And what did mom get? The Brod and Taylor proofer! It's currently sitting on my kitchen counter, doing it's thing with a couple loaves of Hamelmann's Oatmeal Bread and waiting for that batch of his Ciabatta with Poolish so I can make rolls. We live in a drafty, chilly old house, so it will be loved all winter. Good to know I don't need to worry about covering the dough and that it will accommodate the KAM mixing bowl.

And my daughter? She's in remission with a 95% chance for a cure. And she is in Sweden enjoying her student exchange. I love a happy ending!

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